years of operation. In 1822, the rate of tolls (per mile) were: Wagons with narrow wheels and four horses, cents; Wagons with wide wheels , cents; Wagons with wide wheels greater than , free; Pleasure carriages, with two horses, cents ; Horse and rider, cents. History The Centre Turnpike followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. The turnpike was started in 1808 and completed around 1814 at a cost of US$208,000. The final toll was collected near Bear Gap in Ralpho Township in 1885. It was maintained and controlled by the Centre Turnpike Road Company, which was formed on March 25, 1805. A purchaser appeared in 1884, being the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, who desired to extend their Schuylkill Division from Reading to Pottsville and New Boston. In building this section between Reading and Pottsville they encountered great difficulty on account of the Centre Turnpike being in the way of construction. The railroad company succeeded in purchasing the stock of the turnpike company and thus completed their railroad to Pottsville. On June 1, 1885 after a long period of 80 years, the franchise of the Centre Turnpike Company, passed over to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, as is shown by the proceedings of the annual meeting of that date. During 1885-1886 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company having no further use of the turnpike, conveyed to each township the portion that passed through it. So then the toll gates were taken down and the road became free to all. See also References Pre-freeway turnpikes in the United States Historic trails and roads in Pennsylvania